Remembering Granddaddy

I've not felt much like blogging lately, and for pretty good reason.  My heart is sad for many reasons, but especially because on Tuesday October 8th, my sweet Granddaddy lost his 5 month battle with cancer.

If you remember from my previous post, they had agreed to stop all treatment on Thursday the 3rd and by Friday the 4th, they had enlisted the help of Hospice.  Nobody was sure of the exact time frame, but we all assumed we had a few weeks left with him.  He had a pretty good weekend and was still up and about, walking, talking, entertaining visitors, eating, etc.  He wasn't great by any means, but he was doing well enough that my family encouraged me to stay here in Tennessee and go through with my already scheduled liver scan and follow up appointment at Vanderbilt on Wednesday the 9th.  

Throughout the weekend, my Mom sent me pictures via text message and I even Skyped with him a time or two.  Everything seemed alright, so I did what everyone said and stayed put. (Though, deep down I was dying to jump in the car and drive straight to FL!)  

By Monday, they had brought in a hospital bed and he was no longer getting up and walking around.  I was in constant contact with at least one member of my family that entire evening, asking for updates regularly.  I asked my cousin Carrie to please tell Granddaddy that I would be there on Wednesday afternoon and that Kyndall and I couldn't wait to see him.  He responded by saying "I will wait for them". 

 Sometime around dinner time, he slipped off into a deep sleep and was no longer responding to anyone and rarely moving.  Looking back, I can't believe that knowing all of this I didn't pack my bags IMMEDIATELY and drive through the night to Two Egg.  But even still, the hospice nurses said that his blood pressure was regulated and his temperature was stable, so he may have just been sleeping due to the pain meds.  So, I stayed.

I was up late Monday night, texting with my Mom until somewhere around 1:30 a.m.  She still told me to plan to stay until Wednesday, and then just come straight from my liver appointment in Nashville.  For some reason, I just felt the need to sleep with my phone under my pillow that night.  I'm glad I did, because around 5:30 a.m. (after about 3.5 hours of sleep!), I got a call saying I needed to come right away.  The phone call I had been absolutely dreading had just taken place and I was now in a race against the clock to get a few things packed, wake Kyndall up and drive to Florida as fast as possible.

Matthew came home from work and helped me get Kyndall dressed and get the car loaded.  I didn't even pack much, just threw a few essential items in the suitcase and tried to get out of here as fast as I could.  In the back of my mind, all I could think of was Granddaddy saying he would wait for me.  I knew he would if he could, but I also knew time was of the essence and he was getting weaker and weaker with each hour that passed.

I called my Mom about every half hour while I was on the road, asking for an update.  My heart sank when she didn't answer my call.  I remember I was somewhere around Birmingham and although I needed to be paying close attention to my GPS, all I wanted to do was get in touch with someone for an update.  I was paying more attention to my phone than to the road at this point.  I frantically called my sister.....no answer there either.  I started to panic a little so I tried my Mom again and still no answer.  Finally, my phone rang and it was my Mom calling me back.  She told me that Granddaddy had not been able to wait any longer and that he was gone.  

I was crushed.  I really really wanted to make it before he was gone.  I know he held on as long as he could, but the selfish part of me was SO angry.  Angry mostly at myself for not coming sooner, to be there with the rest of the family to say goodbye.  I'm the oldest Grandchild and I was the only one not there when he took his last breath.  It's not so much that I wanted to see or experience that, but I just really wanted him to know that I did everything I could to see him one last time.  This will surely be my biggest regret in life.  Next time I'll follow my heart instead of what everyone else tells me to do.  Doctors appointments can be rescheduled but I can never get those last moments of his life back again.  I just hope he knows how badly I wanted to be there and how much I hate myself now for not doing what I knew was right.  

My Dad was very concerned for me driving the remainder of the way by myself since I was pretty upset and I was also driving on 3.5 hours of sleep.  So, he and my brother-in-law insisted on heading north to meet up with me in Montgomery, Alabama where my Dad drove Kyndall and I the remainder of the way to my Grandparents' house in Two Egg.

I asked my Mom to please have them leave Granddaddy in his room so that I could at least see him once more before he was taken away.  Unfortunately, that could not be done and they needed to take him to the funeral home immediately.  But, they did agree to make special arrangements for me to go up and see him later that night.  It's something they don't normally do, but since this was a special circumstance and they knew how much it meant to me, they agreed.  I will forever be thankful for this.  I just needed the closure of seeing him one last time before he was all made up and looking so fake.

This picture of my cousins and my sister was taken just after they took Granddaddy away from his bed.  My heart longed to be in that bed with them, but I was several hours away still.......

As soon as I arrived at my Grandparents' house, I went straight back to his room, hoping it would help me feel more connected to him in some strange way.  I burst into tears as I walked in and saw that his temporary hospital bed had already been taken away and things were back to "normal", as if what had taken place only a few hours prior never even happened at all.  I have no idea why, but this just broke my heart.  I missed everything by not being there.  My cousin came in and found me and cried right along with me.  She also let me ask lots of questions about those final moments......things I wanted to know about how it happened and what took place.  Again, I'll never understand why I needed or wanted to know these things, but I did.  I think I wanted to feel that same connection that everyone else felt by being there in those last moments.  

My sweet Mother-in-Law drove all the way to my Grandparents' house to pick up Kyndall that night so that I could spend the next few days helping make arrangements for the funeral, gathering pictures, and just spending time with my family without the demands of a toddler.  I just really needed as little stress as possible, and the best way to ensure that was by letting Kyndall spend a few days with my in-laws.  

A few of us headed up to the funeral home so that I could see Granddaddy one last time.  The funeral director greeted us at the door and gave us a disclaimer of sorts about what we were about to see.  He wanted to be sure that I understood that Granddaddy would be just as he was, without any make up, just laying beneath a sheet.  This was exactly how I wanted  to see him, so I wasn't taken by surprise at all when I walked into the room where he was.  He definitely didn't look like he did the last time that I had seen him, just two weeks prior......but he really didn't look as bad as I had expected.  I was able to touch his face and rub his cheeks.  His hair was combed the wrong way.  Granddaddy was a stickler for having his hair parted on the right, even though his natural part fell to the left.  We got a little laugh out of this and then made sure to tell them to fix it before the funeral.  We knew it would mean a great deal to him, as he was very particular about his hair!  =)

That night, my cousins and my sister and I spent hours and hours sorting through old pictures, putting together a slideshow to be presented at the visitation and funeral.  Obviously, pictures mean more to me than just about anything, so I took on this task with great pride.  I also happened to have my laptop with me, which provided for even more priceless photos.  Katie and I worked into the wee hours of Wednesday morning before finally calling it a night.  

I slept in his room that night.  At first, I didn't want to so I made myself a spot on the couch.  All of the other beds were already taken except his.  After a few minutes, I decided there was nowhere I'd rather be than in the very same room where he had just met Jesus face to face only a few hours prior.  It was a little creepy and a lot special.  I walked in and found his watch and his hearing aids and some loose change still sitting on his dresser right where he had left them.  I was careful not to move anything, acting as if this desolate bedroom was some sort of time capsule that should be forever untouched and preserved.  Silly, I know.  It took me a while to fall asleep, despite the fact that it was now close to 3:00 a.m. and I was beyond exhausted from the day's events.  I just laid there thinking about all that had happened in that room a few hours earlier.  My mind kept wandering until finally, I must have fallen asleep.  Normally, I am a very light sleeper and I toss and turn all night long and just don't sleep soundly.  But I can tell that that on this particular night, I slept better than I have in months.  Pure exhaustion?  Maybe.  Pure comfort?  Definitely.  

The next morning was a whilrwind of events, as people started coming in droves to visit and bring food.  However, planning a funeral is about like planning a wedding but with only two or three days notice.  It's nuts!  There is so much to think about and so many decisions to make and everyone wants it to be absolutely perfect.  At a time when all you want to do is sit alone quietly and mourn, you're forced to go here, there and everywhere and greet visitors and host family and smile and say thank you for the yummy food and pick out flowers and decide on a time for the funeral and the wording for the obituary and what music will be used and the order of the service and who will speak and what you will wear and and and and.........!!!!!!!!!!!!  I'm speaking purely on behalf of my Grandma and my parents, as they were the ones running around doing this stuff but even to witness it all was utterly exhausting!  There's really no TIME to be sad with so much to be done!

While they were running around making all of the above happen, I stayed put at the house to greet visitors, accept food (tons and tons of food!!) and continue working on the slideshow.  Somewhere in the midst of all of this, it was also decided that I would be the one to speak on behalf of the Grandchildren at the funeral.  So, I now also had a speech to write.  Oh, and did I mention that I failed to bring funeral clothes for me or Kyndall?  So I still had to find time to shop for both of us before the next day!  Aaaaahhhh!

Somehow, I got it all done and it was now Thursday evening and time for the visitation.  All of the family members came an hour early and we were the only ones allowed inside of the chapel at the funeral home.  We each took turns looking at him and commenting on how good he looked.  He looked so handsome in his suit, complete with his beloved flag pendant adorning his left shoulder.  He wore this proudly each and every time he wore his suit, so it was only fitting for him to wear it now.  The spray of long stem red roses, soft white baby's breath and plush greenery covering the casket was absolutely beautiful, as were all of the flowers in the room.  I enjoyed walking around and reading the familiar names of sweet friends and family members who had sent these gorgeous arrangements and I was so humbled by the outpouring of love and generosity.  I was reminded once again what wonderful friends we have been blessed with!!

We all sat down as a family and watched the slideshow together and for me, that's when the tears started flowing.  Seeing all of those priceless memories brought back a flood of emotions from laughter to tears and everything in between.

(I'm probably one of the only people you'll ever meet who takes pictures at a visitation or a funeral and maybe you think that's weird.  But to me it's one of the most important memories of a person's life and aren't pictures all about capturing the memories??  I was careful to be discrete and non-distracting as to maintain an atmosphere of respect to Granddaddy.) 

This wreath was given by the 5 Grandchildren in honor of Granddaddy's love of fishing.  I couldn't be happier with how it turned out!  I think he would've been very proud of it.

From our sweet friends the Barbers, Boyettes, Durdens and Tehans.  We love you guys!

This cross was given by my parents and my Aunt and Uncle 

Ready to greet the many visitors that anxiously awaited a chance to share their condolences

If it's possible to measure a man's worth by the number of people who come to his visitation, then Granddaddy was surely one of the most loved and respected people I've ever met.  But, I already knew that.  The line for visitation that night extended out the front door of the funeral home and into the parking lot.  We shook hands and hugged necks for three hours straight.  I've never been more honored to be Arthur Basford's Granddaughter than I was that night.  People had nothing but the kindest words to say about my Granddaddy, many of them tearing up and getting emotional as they recalled what a wonderful influence he was on their life at one time or another.  He truly impacted his community (and the world) for Christ!  I can only hope people will say such wonderful things about me when I'm gone.  He was so loved by so many.

I was pleasantly surprised to see three of my very best friends come through the line at visitation as well.  Lindsey, Amber and Betsy all traveled over to Marianna to be there to hug my neck and offer up words of encouragement as only best friends can do.  All three of them have already gone through this with their own Grandparents, so having them there made me feel so much better and I will always remember how much it meant to me for them to do this.  Thanks, girls!  I couldn't ask for better BFFs!!

Friday morning the family all gathered at Grandma's house and awaited the limo and processional which would take us to the church for the 10:00 service.  It was October 11th.....which was exactly 5 months from the day he found out he had cancer on May 11th.

Bryce and Garrison looked so handsome!

The funeral was perfect.  The words that were spoken about Granddaddy were so personal and so heartfelt and Granddaddy's life was honored in the most respectable way possible.  The music was beautiful, the church looked gorgeous and the pews were filled with friends and family from all over.  I couldn't have hoped for anything more and I know Granddaddy would've been proud.

Just before it was my turn to speak, the soloist sang "Thank You for Giving to the Lord".  Boy, was that some horrible planning on our part!  That song describes my Granddaddy to a "t" and as I listened to the words, the faucet turned itself on and just would NOT stop.  So, even before uttering the first word of my speech, I was already a puddle of tears.  I knew this wasn't how I wanted to deliver my eulogy, but there was nothing I could do about it.  My cousins all surrounded me at the podium so that I wasn't standing alone while speaking on their behalf.  I composed myself the best I could and took a few deep breaths.  Then, I said these words.............

Remembering Our Granddaddy

For those who don’t know, I’m Ashleigh-Anne and I am the oldest of the 5 Grandchildren.  On behalf of my cousins, I would like to share a few words with you about what our beloved Granddaddy meant to us.

Granddaddy was known for many things throughout his life and played many roles over the 82 years that he spent on this Earth.

He was a son, a brother, a husband and a father.

Many knew him as an Army veteran and an American hero.

He was a well educated college graduate who went on to have a very successful career which he was exceptionally proud of.

He was an accomplished athlete and a man with many hobbies.

Others knew him as a fellow church member and a dedicated Sunday School teacher and Deacon.

He was a missionary, who worked hard as a servant of the Lord not only in his community but also throughout the country with disaster relief programs.

He was a faithful  friend, always willing to lend a hand and never expecting anything in return.

He was many things to many people…...but to the 5 of us, he was just GRANDDADDY.

Granddaddy was the one who always greeted us with the words “hey baby” and a big hug.  

There was nothing quite like hearing those words and feeling the love in that embrace each time we saw him.  In the same way, as we used to say goodbye to him he would always leave us with the words “work hard, be good.”  It’s something that I already dearly miss about him.

Granddaddy was the one who played hide and seek with us in the cane patch and helped us pick countless buckets of grapes, blueberries, peaches and pears from his fruit trees on hot summer days.  He taught us the value of simple pleasures in life and the gift of investing time into the ones you love.

He was the one who would load us up in the back of his old pick up truck and drive us down to Lawrence’s Grocery Store where we would ponder for what seemed like hours over which candy to buy with the 50 cents that he gave us each to spend.  

He was a handy man, always tinkering with stuff and fixing up old antiques or building things, such as dog houses, rabbit cages or whatever was needed for the newest stray animal that Carrie rescued and brought home.  

He had a passion for the outdoors and a love for traveling.  He extended this passion on to his grandchildren by taking each one of us on a 6 week adventure out West to see some of God’s most magnificent creations such as the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and the Badlands just to name a few.  By doing this he afforded each of us a once in a lifetime opportunity to see things that many people never experience, yet we were able to do so as mere children.

Granddaddy took us to church every opportunity he had, including Sunday mornings as well as Vacation Bible School each summer.  He never let any of us leave the house without a few spare coins to drop in the offering plate.  Even to this day when giving my offering, I can’t help but think back on how proud I was as a child to drop in those few silver coins as the plate passed me by.  In doing this, he taught us each what it meant to give back to the Lord and to be thankful for all that He has given us.  

He had a great love for fishing and many of our childhood memories of Granddaddy include precious time spent on the water somewhere with a fishing rod in our hands and good conversation in the air.  Even if we didn’t catch anything, we always enjoyed it because it was time well spent with him.

Granddaddy was always a good sport and up for most any challenge…..including the time that 6 year old Katie talked him into riding with her on the old wooden roller coaster at Miracle Strip in Panama City.  To say he regretted that decision would be a huge understatement, as his back suffered for months to follow!  To this day, we still laugh about the look of sheer joy on Katie’s face and the look of utter pain on Granddaddy’s face as they walked away from that ride together.

He was an early riser and couldn’t wait to grab his cup of coffee and retrieve the daily paper each and every morning.  He could often be found sitting in his recliner with the television turned onto the news and a paper in his hand, soaking up the latest in current events.  He would always tell us how important it is to know what’s going on in our world and how crucial it is to be up to date on the latest happenings in our country.  This is something he was very passionate about.

Granddaddy never met a stranger and would talk to anyone who might listen.  Everywhere we went, he found someone to befriend and strike up a conversation with.  I truly believe he would’ve made and EXCELLENT salesman or politician!! He was very much a “people person” in this way and  that’s why he was loved by so many…...because he was humble and kind and always made others feel important.  This was one of my very favorite traits about him, and one that I pray I might possess in my own life.

Though it took him 10 years of doing “girly” things, after four giggly granddaughters, he finally got his long awaited grandson when Jeffrey came along.  Their bond was a very special one, with memories of football, hunting trips, hiking adventures and getting haircuts together.  He loved all of his grandchildren more than words can even say, but there was something extra special about the relationship that he had with his one and only grandson.

He loved telling us old stories about his childhood, his days in the Army and his experiences with mission work.  He had a way of using these stories to draw us in and make us appreciate all that we had been given and help us to realize how very blessed we are.  He never wanted us to take anything for granted, no matter how big or how small it seemed.  He was a great teacher in that way.

When I think of Granddaddy, I think of him as a man of great wisdom whom we all looked to for spiritual guidance and Biblical truths.  He knew the word like no one else and could quote scripture without a moment’s hesitation.  Anytime I had a question about the Bible or just needed guidance on life in general, he was the first one I would turn to.  When asked the question “what advice about life do you want others to remember?” he replied with “To trust the Lord, to depend on Him, worship Him, serve Him, and allow Him to guide your life for his sake.”  Truly this is the life that Granddaddy lived.  

Granddaddy was the one who just a few years ago, began the tradition of gathering around the dining room table on Thanksgiving day and having every person state what they’re most thankful for.  Though it’s probably a common tradition for many families, it’s one that I hope our own family will keep alive to honor Granddaddy’s memory.  Even if nothing else could be said about him, you could say without a doubt that he was a man who was THANKFUL for what he had been given and was always quick to remind us of that.

In my own life, Granddaddy has proven himself to be the greatest prayer warrior that I have ever known, and has single handedly offered up more prayers on my behalf than anyone else in this world.  As I have recently faced some serious health issues of my own, Granddaddy has been faithful in praying for me and also in soliciting the prayers of others for my sake.  He truly believed in the power of prayer and it is because of his faithfulness that I stand here today to share these words with you.

One of the greatest pleasures we’ve had of our time with Granddaddy was seeing him become a Great-Granddaddy as his three precious Great Grandchildren were born.  He was there for the births of his first two Great Grandsons, Bryce and Garrison and even made it all the way to Charleston, South Carolina for the birth of my own daughter, Kyndall.  At 80 years old, armed with a GPS, a cell phone and Grandma as his co-pilot, he drove through the night on unfamiliar roads and made it to the hospital with time to spare.  I’ll never forget the memory of having him there on that special day or the sacrifice that he made to be there.  He loved his Great Grandchildren immensely and adored them more than they will ever know.  I’m so thankful that he was able to play the role of Great Granddaddy for the past 5 years, as I know it was one of the greatest joys of his life.

Over the past six years, Granddaddy has been there to give his blessings on all four of the Granddaughters’ weddings, beginning with Katie, then myself, Carrie and most recently…..Kelly.  It meant so much to know that our Granddaddy loved and accepted each of our husbands just as if they were one of his own Grandchildren.  Kelly’s wedding this past May was especially memorable because it was during that time that Granddaddy was beginning to feel the effects of his illness, yet he put on a happy face and made the best of the situation, just as he always did.  Sadly, it was that later on that very same night when we found out of his diagnosis.  Looking back, we are all amazed at the strength that he exhibited that day, despite how bad he must have been feeling on the inside.  He was so strong and would do anything to be a part of his last Granddaughter’s most special day.  That’s something that none of us, especially Kelly, will never forget.

It’s hard to sum up our Granddaddy with words alone.  He was so much more to us than words could ever say.  He was the greatest man we’ve ever known and to know him was to love him.  He truly was the hands and feet of Jesus and taught each of us the importance of living our lives for Christ.  He was a man of great integrity and character, and no one could possibly speak an ill word about him even if they tried.  He was a peace maker and man who wasn’t afraid to show his softer side, often tearing up as he spoke of things for which he was passionate about.  He was everything we could’ve ever asked for in a Granddaddy and we are each a better person for having had him in our lives.  Thank you, Lord, for giving us the most wonderful, loving, compassionate, sensitive, selfless, generous, humble Granddaddy that we ever could’ve asked for.  

As my cousins and I sat reminiscing over our memories of Granddaddy this week, there was one that stood out among the rest.  It was the memory of climbing up on his lap and having him read the “Bunny Wunnies” song to us.  It was just a silly song from a childrens’ book, but it’s a memory that each one of us has of Grandddaddy and one that immediately brings a smile to our faces.  With a little bit of digging, we were able to find that old book and my sister has agreed to read to you our beloved “Bunny Wunnies” song.  Though it may seem silly, it means the world to us.  I will close by letting Kelly share our special song with you………...

My sister read a portion of the Bunny Wunnies song, which was a very neat tribute to our Granddaddy.  This silly song meant so much to all of us and even though everyone else was probably quite perplexed by the silliness of the song, I'm confident that Granddaddy was looking down with a smile on his face and laughter in his heart.  =)

My cousin Jeffrey then said a few words about Granddaddy and the influence that he had on his life.  I think between the two of us, we made him proud with the words we shared and the memories we recalled.  At least, I hope we did.

The funeral ended with one of Granddaddy's very favorite soloists singing the song he requested, Midnight Cry.  When Granddaddy first found out he was sick, he told us specifically that he wanted this song sung by this soloist.  It made my heart so happy to know that we were able to fulfill his one request.  If you've never heard Midnight Cry, you need to look it up on Youtube!  It's one of those songs that makes you want to raise your hands and shout!  It was absolutely perfect for Granddaddy.

Following the service, the processional led us to the graveside where Granddaddy would be laid to rest.

A lot of these pictures were taken on my iphone as to keep down the noise of my camera shutter, so they're not the best quality but I'm still so glad I have them.

I love this picture so much.  Granddaddy's only other request (besides the song Midnight Cry) was who his pallbearers would be.  He asked that all of his Grandson-In-Laws (Matthew, Brian, Michael and Justin) as well as his Grandson Jeffrey and his nephew Randy do the honors.  You can see each of them in this picture and I think it's so special.

As they folded the flag and handed it to Grandma, my sister got a quick video clip of this special moment........

Kyndalll was only slightly in tune to what was going on, thankfully.  Her only concern was wondering when she was going to go back to Grandma's and play with Bryce and Garrison!

Once the casket was carried over to the grave, everyone left except for the Grandchildren and our spouses.  Maybe you're not technically supposed to stick around for this part, but we all wanted to be there.  The funeral director allowed us to stay and watch as Granddaddy took to his final resting place.  It was so special and I'm very glad that we were able to stay and watch.

Take notice of the bright yellow butterfly that kept fluttering in and out of the video as the casket was being lowered.  It would go away and then suddenly appear again.  Later that day when we returned to the grave to look at all of the flowers, it appeared again, fluttering all about the flowers and over top of the grave.  I'm not usually into this kind of stuff, but I just have to wonder if it was some sort of sign from God that Granddaddy was very much there with us.

My sweet husband

I think Granddaddy would be pretty proud of his legacy, don't you??

My Great-Grandparents' grave is right in front of where my Grandparents will both be buried.  I was blessed to know both of them before they passed away when I was a child.

 Once things were finished at the graveside, we joined the rest of the family back at Grandma's house for a FEAST, provided by their sweet church members.  They set up, served and cleaned up and were such a blessing to us!  All we had to do was sit and eat....and eat....and eat some more!  I've never seen so much good country cooking in my life!  I think I ate enough fried chicken and drank enough sweet tea to satisfy me for the rest of my life!  Oh, and desserts.....lets not even go there!

This was the spread of just DESSERTS!!

We spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying time with some of our family members that live out of town whom we don't get to see very often.  As sad as it is to bury a loved on, sometimes it's bittersweet because it also serves as a wonderful reunion.

Here's another shot of the wreath that the Grandchildren gave in honor of Granddaddy.  We had it made from silk flowers so that Grandma could keep it forever.

After things calmed down a bit, we all went back up to the church to see the spread of flowers that the funeral home had placed over the grave.  It was so beautiful!

My Great Aunt Lenora (Granddaddy's sister) standing with the flowers that were sent by her family

Back at Grandma's house, her living room looked like a jungle!  There were so many beautiful plants given and of course we didn't want those to wither and die at the grave, so in the house they went!  It was a sight!

Grandma requested that we hang the wreath over Granddaddy's chair which was absolutely the perfect spot for it.  In my 30 years of life, I've never seen Granddaddy sit anywhere but in this corner in "his" chair.  From this chair he told stories, read his Bible, watched his beloved Fox News and took many-a-naps!  It's funny......the entire weekend, with all of the hundreds of people who were in and out of the house, I never saw anyone sit in this chair.  It's as if we thought subconsciously he would be walking into the room at any moment and heading for "his" spot.  So, it stayed empty.  Not on purpose I don't think, but simply because it's what we were accustomed to.

It's strange to see it empty, but when I close my eyes I can still see him sitting there, remote in his hand and feet propped up, looking out the window ready to jump up and greet the next visitor who came down the driveway.  He never let anyone get all the way to the door, you know.  As soon as he saw them coming down the dirt driveway, he was up and out of his chair and heading for the back door to meet them in the yard with a smile and a handshake.  Or, in my case a big hug and a "hey baby".  Gosh, I'll miss that!

That evening all of the Granddaughters sat down and formed an assembly line to begin helping Grandma with the process of writing thank you notes.  It can be quite an overwhelming task, but with some teamwork we were able to get ALL of the thank you notes for food and flowers written the very same night as the funeral!  That HAS to be some kind of record!  If you know me, you know that thank you notes are my "thing".  I'm a stickler for writing them so this job made me very happy and I'm glad that we were able to relieve at least one small stress from Grandma's shoulders.  Plus, we had a good time doing it!  We got a little silly at times, as we were all delirious due serious lack of sleep and pure exhaustion!  But, it was a fun memory and one that I'll always hold dear of the way I spent that evening with my cousins.

We will all miss Granddaddy, no doubt about it.  The upcoming holidays will prove to be especially difficult, as it will seem strange not having him there for our annual traditions.  But as sad as we all are, we are rejoicing in knowing that he's where he has always longed to be......sitting next to Jesus in his eternal home.  Though I'm very sad that I didn't make it in time to tell him goodbye one last time, I'm so very grateful that he went quickly and easily and without pain or long, drawn out days of suffering.  In all things, I'm trying my best to find the positives despite my sadness.

I have always loved this song by MercyMe, so with the permission of my cousins I included it in Granddaddy's slideshow that was played at the visitation and funeral.  The words couldn't be more perfect for him, or for us.  I'm also including just a small sampling of some of my favorite pictures from the slideshow that we put together.  We had hundreds, but these are among my personal favorites.

Love you so much, Granddaddy!!!!!!!